The present invention relates to an image input device and an image input/output device which have a network communicating function such as an LAN communication or a peer-to-peer communication, and a method of setting a parameter value for a communication.
There has been proposed a printer which can be connected to an IP (Internet Protocol) network (for example, JP-A-2004-78392 (FIG.1)).
In the case in which a network device connected to the IP network usually carries out a communication based on the IP, an IP address capable of identifying the network device in the network is required. The value of setting parameter such as the IP address is input by the operation of an operating unit in the network device or is assigned from a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server.
However, a device for inputting and/or outputting an image, for example, a composite machine having the function of a printer, a scanner or both of them is rarely provided with an operating unit requiring a comparatively large space on a housing, for example, a keyboard or a ten key which can input alphabets and numerals. In the case in which the value of setting parameter such as an IP address is input by operating a simple operating unit, therefore, a complicated work is performed. In the case in which the value of the setting parameter is acquired from a DHCP server, moreover, it is necessary to install a DHCP server program in another network device. If another network device is not present, moreover, it is hard to carry out a communication through a network. For example, in recent years, a printer having a composite function such as a scanner function has a model capable of directly executing a printing operation by means of a digital still camera even if a personal computer is not present.